A Hopeless Case

My dear friend James seemed never to be appealed by my curvaceous figure, even in my favourite blue summer dress; he never once indicated an attraction. He always seemed wrapped up in his studies, which was so saddening when I consistently thought of him in a less studious context. It was this thought that drew my gaze to the other side of the room; to assess this man, who didn't seem to desire what lay between my thighs.

He seemed to be assiduously typing away on his laptop, snuggled back into his couch, with his feet propped upon the table. I smiled now to see his geeky, long, brown socks warming his feet. He was far too practical compared to me, who wore stockings, simply to get a smoother look from my legs.

His shirt displayed some kind of intellectual, sarcastic message, which had gone right over my head when I first scanned it. I was too afraid to ask him what the symbols meant, in case he thought I was stupid, or lacking in proper education. So of course I laughed hoping it was a funny science pun or something. He didn't say anything, so I took that as a good sign.

I knew he was only my friend, but something about him made me wish he and I were more. Perhaps it was his confidence? The way he always seemed to know what to say? Then again, my attraction could have been purely based on the fact that he didn't want me back. Everyone seems to want what they cannot have.

"You're staring at me," he looked up at me with raised eyebrows. I looked away quickly, back at my books where I should have been focusing, and made a small sound to indicate I had heard him. When I looked up again he was back to his studying like nothing had occurred.

James had been kind enough to invite me over to his home, for coffee, and to study for final exams. I spent roughly an hour preparing for this day; combing my hair and donning several different outfits before I settled on my dress. It wasn't long sitting here before I reminded myself that I needn't have bothered dressing up.

My hair was blonde and combed neatly into two cute pony-tales. His hair was an adorably unkempt pile of brown strands, which he never would've neatened, for my mere presence. I adored the brown of his eyes, so perfectly framed by his messy locks. I think though that I mostly loved the depth of his eyes, how they revealed to me the obvious intelligence beneath the surface.

"You keep staring at me," he laughed this time. He didn't care that I was staring at him, wasn't bothered by anything I chose- or didn't choose- to do. "Aria, do you need my help with the work? You can ask if you do." He placed his laptop down casually and sat down right next to me.

"Oh, pfft, no... I'm fine," I played because I wanted to look smart and easy going. I flung myself back against the couch and propped my feet on the table as he had done himself previously. "I'm just amusing myself with the weird faces you pull when you concentrate," I mocked.

James seemed pleased by the opportunity to banter, then he responded, "Oh you're just jealous you don't have a face like mine," he used this thumb to point towards himself. I giggled and turned back to my book, realising that I was a little disheartened by the jab at my appearance. I knew he was playing around, but I couldn't help but wonder if he was partly being honest as well.

I knew it wasn't obvious to him, but his opinion of my physical attributes really meant a great deal to me. I respected this man, and I secretly had hopes that he might one day find me as attractive and desirable as I found him. Yet I knew this was impossible! He was not one to spend time idling on thoughts of attraction and romance. He was friendly for certain, but his eyes were always set on his own freedoms and successes. I knew it was a hopeless case.

James was now studying by my side, something which I found mildly distracting because I could feel everything about him. I could feel every movement emanating from his body and I could smell the light scent of his aftershave. I could hear his fingers tapping on his keyboard and every part of me wanted to touch the things tantalizing my other senses.

I leaned forward to grab my cup of coffee from the table. I hadn't noticed at this time that James's dog had found her way into the room, so she made her company known by jumping onto my lap.

Suddenly, my coffee cup was no longer in my hands.

"Oh my god," I pushed the dog off of my lap, "James I'm so sorry!"

James gave a chuckle as he stood up in a now coffee stained shirt. He pulled the bottom of the shirt away from his skin, and looked down at the damp mess. "Well that changes what I was planning to wear at dinner tonight," he said amusedly, then suddenly removed his shirt.

James- Shirt-less- In front of me...

"Uuuh, dinner," I gazed up at him as though I had been star struck. He scrunched the shirt up and walked out into the laundry room. I gulped at the beauty of what I had just seen; such a hot torso. God help me I sounded like a dumb blonde with a stupid crush.

He walked back into the room, still shirtless, but with a towel to clean up the rest of the mess. "Aria, do you mind picking up the mug for me?" He asked as he bent over to soak up the coffee from the couch.

"Sure, the mug..." I repeated blankly, still gazing at him, not really listening to what he had asked of me.

Now perhaps my eyes had drifted towards his belt buckle for too long at a time, or perhaps my lack of movement had made me look curious, but soon James was staring back at me. His eyebrows were raised and a small grin had found his lips.

"Aria," James began curiously, "Are you staring at my crotch?" My eyes darted up towards his fascinated expression. At this point there was not much I could say to save myself from what was obviously my own flustered embarrassment. But heck, I tried.

"What crotch?" Of course I knew the moment these words left my lips that somehow I had managed to make myself look even more idiotic. I stood up quickly from the couch and awkwardly became near face-to-face with James. I gasped and stepped aside, then looked down at my feet in order to avoid his gaze.

James laughed at me then, for a moment, unable to control how humorous he found the entire situation. He then said, "Shit, you're totally hot for me, aren't you?" I could hear the amusement in his tone, but felt nothing more than the intense blush that ran over my entire body. It felt forever that he spent staring at me deep in though, whilst I stared at my own feet trying to will myself to shrink into nothingness.

James stepped in closer to me and, placing his fingers underneath my chin, guided my face back up to his. He moved in slowly and left a warm kiss against my cheek, so perfect that I never wanted it to stop. However, suddenly, I felt his fingernails scurry up my spine and over my neck. This caused me to recoil and giggle uncontrollably.

I pushed him away, "what are you doing?" I looked at him bewildered.

"I don't know," he pulled me in closer, tugging me forward by my shirt, and wriggled his fingers against my side. "Are you ticklish Aria?" He asked as I squirmed beneath his touch.

"I..." for a moment I paused in thought; was this his way of taking advantage of me? Did he find me attractive? "Why are you asking me that?" He slid his hands upon my ribs and firmly pressed his fingertips in, just enough to cause a nervous unease that he may try to tickle again.

I think he noticed the nervous expression on my face for he then said, "Aria, I think you are ticklish, and just for the heck of it, I think I want to take a moment to play with that."

My eyes widened at this point for I wasn't even sure what was happening. He was going to tickle me? Why? What for? That wasn't fair! I didn't do anything to get into this kind of situation!

"I think it's a suitable punishment, since you did keep your feelings for me hidden this whole time..." he grinned evilly, "tut, tut, tut, very dishonest..." Suddenly his fingers were wriggling around my neck, and behind my ears, making me shrug up my shoulders and giggle. I tried pushing him away then too, but he was persistent in staying where he was.

"Oh no," He mocked as I tried to get away, but he held me still with one hand gripping my left arm, "Oh no you're really very ticklish aren't you Aria? This is going to be very, very difficult for you."

James pushed me firmly to the ground then; I was too weakened from laughing uncontrollably to fight back. He pulled me to the ground, sat on my legs, and dragged his nails across my sensitive ankles, "let me see how you handle it .... If I just... TICKLE and TICKLE and TICKLE right here!" He teased me.

"Hahahaha, no, no," My arms flailed about and I felt embarrassed to be so helplessly out of control while being held underneath this man; I felt more embarrassed that it was in fact turning me on.

"What about if I try.... RIGHT HERE!" He began quickly wriggling his fingers up and down my sides, so quickly that I could barely catch his hands to stop him. He was facing me now, looking right at my reddening face, watching how the giggling fell uncontrollably from my lips... "I always thought you had a very cute smile."

He stopped tickling and looked down at me, holding himself up on his hands and knees, with me sheltered beneath him. All I could hear was my own heavy breathing now; he liked my smile? I instantly tried to hide my mouth with my hand, feeling shy in reaction to his compliment- but then he grabbed my wrists and pinned me down.

"Nowhere to hide Aria," he raised both his eyebrows in a quick flirtatious 'hello-hello' fashion. "Not when I'm in charge."

It was at this moment of non-laughter that my ability to think had returned. What was going on here? Did he like me? Should I ask him and risk frightening him away from this moment? My eyes studied his expression for the answers, but he was so unreadable!

"You think too much," he shook his head and climbed off of me.

"What? I didn't say anything!" I sat up, wishing he would come back and be close to me again.

"Your thoughts are all over your face," he stated matter-of-factly while sitting back on the couch. I was crushed. I certainly couldn't ask the questions now, obviously he didn't like me and just wanted some light-hearted fun... and I had ruined it! I had messed the entire thing up with my stupid face of stupid expressions.

"Sorry, I"- He cut me off.

"You're worried about the exams tomorrow and don't want any distractions, it's cool," he shrugged. I looked at him with a lizard like expression of blankness, my mouth slightly agape. He thought I was worried about exams? Exams! At a time like this!

I realised now that I needed to tell him the truth or risk losing my chance at being close to him again. I gulped. I had never told a boy that I liked him before. I had heard stories of other people doing it, but I didn't know if I had it in me.

"I... erm," my mouth started making sounds before my brain had come up with the sentence. I walked over to James and sat facing him, "I have a crush on you and I don't know how to tell you about it," I spoke hurriedly, hoping he wouldn't catch what I was saying.

He looked surprised, almost amused. I looked away for a moment, trying to regain my breath before I continued, "I've liked you for exactly 567days and," I looked at my watch, "7hours, 56minutes." Shit, I was such a nerd.

"We haven't known each other that long, I met you like 509 days ago or something," he counted.

"Actually, you served me coffee at your café for two months before you noticed I even existed." I corrected him. James reached over to tilt my face towards his; he leaned in, our lips only inches from each other.

"Good!" He jumped up and extended a hand to me, I took his hand perplexedly- where the heck was my kiss?! He was supposed to kiss me then, I was sure of it! Instead, he dragged me towards the stairs that led down into his basement. He was in a hurry, so we were almost jogging down the stairs.

When we reached the bottom he let go of my hand and turned to face me. "Welcome," he said, "to my torture chamber."

"Sorry- what?" I asked as though I had misheard him.

"Lie down on that table," he pointed to the centre of the room. A wooden table, polished like new and containing cuffs at each corner. I stood still uncertain what was going on, "well? Do it." He insisted, so I obeyed.

I walked slowly over to the contraption, while scanning the room for potential murderous weapons. "James?" I turned from the table and looked at him, "when you say torture... do you mean"-

"Be a good girl and lie down, I'll take care of you." He moved towards me and guided me upon this bondage device. I was starting to feel very nervous; watching him cuff my wrists and ankles tightly in place.

"James I don't know if"- he placed a ball in my between my lips, a mouth gag! I could do nothing more than make helpless moans. I looked at his expression for some guidance; he seemed strangely calm like he knew what he was doing. Like it was something he did often.

Oh God, what if he was secretly some kind of serial killer? I had heard of stories of family members having a double life and eventually turning on their friends and relatives. Was he going to stab me? Light me on fire? Cut off my limbs one by one?

He was looking down at me, standing just above my head; he leaned in a left a gentle kiss upon my forehead. His hands moved gently over my earlobes, caressing so sensually I felt tingles despite my fears that I was about to die. He placed his hand firmly over my neck, firm but without pressure.

This was it; he was going to choke me to death! This was how I was going to go. I gave him a petrified look. James, I had no idea you were so purely evil!

"If you still like me after this," He spoke softly in my ear, "then I will kiss you." He grinned at me and started wriggling his fingers in front of my face, slowly closing in on my neck... slowly moving in for the kill... slowly-

TICKLING!

I tried to escape, tried to wriggle free, but I could not move an inch! His fingernails scurried over my neck- behind my ears- under my arms- up and then down my ribs and then his fingertips dug into my belly. He moved so quickly I could barely process it, I could only make this strange muffled sound of laughter. I could only lay there and endure the frantic tingling sensations he left over my skin.

"What have we got under here?" James looked at me curiously and lifted up my dress to see my simple black underwear. I felt both invaded and aroused by his gaze. Again he scurried his fingernails hurriedly around my thighs, looking entirely amused by my helpless expressions and sounds.

He stopped then, gently letting one finger trace the line of my panties. I wanted more, I wanted him to touch me there, to remove the layer of cloth and give me what I desperately needed.

He didn't.

His fingers started to tickle over my panties, making my pussy feel tingly and sensitive, and embarrassingly it did indeed tickle. I made a mixture of moans and giggles beneath the gag. My hips moved up and down with the little movement I had to make.

James lifted up my dress even more to expose my belly as well. He looked hungry, like this was something he had been craving for a long time. "Here comes the Tickle-Monster," he winked at me and leaned over to blow a big raspberry onto my belly. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to withstand the torture, feeling challenged to have no reaction.

I shook my head as tears flowed down my cheeks, tears of laughter of course, I could barely breath it was so much! He squeezed and wriggled and dug into my ribs, around my stomach, towards my back... I tried fruitlessly to move away from him, but there was nothing left to do. I was at his mercy, completely vulnerable to his every touch, completely his... I started to moan.

"Fuck, you're just too cute Aria," he watched me try to shrug my shoulders up and protect my neck from his fingers, "I love how you squirm." I moaned again at his words, at his touch, at his overpowering presence.

"Good girl," he said rewardingly at my moans, "you deserve a treat." He climbed onto the table and leaned over me; then he began planting little kisses over my face. Sweet pecks on my nose, over my eyelids... I wanted to be able to kiss back! I wanted to have his lips on mine, but knew I had to endure this torture before I could have what I truly wanted.

He turned my head to the side and suckled onto my earlobe, sending a shiver of pure pleasure down my spine. He whispered hot in my ear, "I could keep doing this all day and all night, I really could." He got up off me and left me wanting more.

James walked towards the end of the table and slowly removed both of my shoes as he spoke to me. "You know Aria, not many girls can take this sort of treatment," he took off the left shoe, "I'm impressed you've lasted this long... it's almost been half an hour!"

Half an hour?! That was all?! I felt a rush of fear and excitement. I felt confused but something inside of me wanted more. I wanted to be dominated by James, I wanted him to leave me helpless while he teased and played his own games. Even the thought of his very particular brand of torture started to arouse me...

Both my feet were exposed and I knew what was coming next. One of my most sensitive places, one of-

He kissed and nipped my little toes. It felt so strange, so unfamiliar... yet OMFG did it tickle! I was completely overwhelmed by the sensations that rushed over such a small part of my body. He continued kissing and biting gently, yet he then began to trace over the sole of my foot with his nails! I moaned randomly at how invasive it was to feel his mouth over my toes, yet laughed simultaneously at his fingernails along my soles.

The faster he moved his fingers the worse it became! Using two hands on the one foot, I could barely process what the hell was happening where! All I knew was that my feet were overloaded with sensations! It was like have a strange kind of orgasm in my feet... so strange yet so pleasurable.

"You're so fucking wet," he laughed at me, making me blush. It was true; I was being turned on by all of this. I was getting wet from his threats of being the tickle-monster, from his wriggling fingers, from his manipulation of my most sensitive areas. It felt childish, stupid and humiliated... but then again, that made me even more aroused.

It seemed an hour had passed when he finally stopped and started to unchain me. My body was weak, shaking slightly at the shock of so many sensations overriding my body. James spoke normally as he let my hands go free, "I could keep going, but since you're a first timer I'll let you off the hook," he winked.

I sat up slowly, feeling slightly dizzy, and removed the gag from my mouth. I licked my lips and let out a loud exhale of relief that I had control of my body again. James walked around the table and helped me down. I was once again inches from his lips, inches so close to tasting him...

"So Aria," He lifted my chin up gently so that we were looking into each other's eyes, "Now you know what I'm like. This is my secret... it's the reason I don't generally approach girls unless I'm sure they like me."

Then it clicked. It wasn't that he didn't find me attractive! All this time, he just didn't want to make a move and get rejected for... I looked back over to the bondage table and then back at him. I guess it wasn't the most conventional of sexual activities, but I can't really say I didn't like it either.

"You couldn't tell that I liked you?" I looked into his eyes and felt surprised that I had hidden my own feelings so well.